HIMSS Analytics recognized 11 of Rockford Health System sites with its Stage 7 Ambulatory Award. The award represents Rockford Health’s attainment of the highest level on the Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model™ (EMRAM), which is used to track EMR progress at hospitals and health systems.

Developed in 2011, the EMR Ambulatory Adoption Model provides a methodology for evaluating the progress and impact of electronic medical record systems for ambulatory facilities owned by hospitals in the HIMSS Analytics™ Database. Stage 7 represents the highest level of EMR adoption and indicates a health system’s advanced electronic patient record environment.

During the third quarter of 2014, only 4.37 percent of the more than 27,000 U.S. ambulatory clinics in the HIMSS Analytics® Database received the Stage 7 Ambulatory Award.

Physicians in the U.S. are struggling with managing shifting reimbursement models with payors (91 percent), financial management (90 percent) and spending time with patients (88 percent) as the top three business challenges, according to a new survey from Wolters Kluwer Health. Financial management challenges are coming from increasing costs, healthcare IT adoption and the Affordable Care Act/increasing legislation.

When asked specifically about impacts of the Affordable Care Act, 84 percent cite this as either very or somewhat challenging for their practice. Seven out of 10 physicians (67 percent) say the Affordable Care Act is a top contributor to rising healthcare costs.

Findings come from the Wolters Kluwer Health 2013 Physician Outlook Survey of more than 300 practicing physicians in the fields of primary care, family medicine and internal medicine. The survey was conducted by Ipsos.

“Physicians are facing increasing pressure to create efficiencies across their practices and drive down costs while at the same time demonstrating improved outcomes for patients,” said Sean Benson, Vice President of Innovation, Clinical Solutions, Wolters Kluwer Health. “To derive true benefits from HIT and EMR systems, physician offices and [Read more…]